• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Will Batman 251 become the new Incredible Hulk 181?
1 1

107 posts in this topic

On 7/21/2018 at 10:17 PM, bronze johnny said:

That said, Batman 232 is the quintessential Bronze Age Batman key. The first appearance of Ra's al ghul, is an even greater creative achievement than a storyline involving a murderous Joker. Where do you think the Bronze Age of Batman would be without Ra's Al Ghul? Imagine what the Bronze Age of Superman would have been like if a villain as significant as Ra's was created for the Man of Steel?

Right--Batman 232 seems extremely underrated relative to all the rest of the Bronze Age Batman books, as one of the few that introduces a new character, and the one that introduces by far the more important character.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/20/2018 at 8:43 PM, Randall Ries said:

That was kinda my point. It was priced really low when I bought it. Five years ago.

To your original point, I agree it was undervalued in the past relative to other fairly significant books and I feel the correction is justified. I sold my first 9.4 about 6 years ago just before the blow up and hated to do it. Paid close to double to replace it a few years ago, but it's an upgrade presentation-wise, so ultimately I'm happy to have a copy as it's one of my favorite single issues of Batman (also my birth month/year book). Beyond my personal feelings, it is a significant book on numerous levels, some of which have already been covered.

That said, I think IH 181 and AF 15 have few, if any, comps in terms of their recent mega-key recognition and the corresponding surge in prices over the last year or two. They've become two of the absolute must-have cornerstones of the hobby and many collectors left out are desperate to buy in. I don't believe Bats 251 really is comparable at all in that regard if you were looking for a legit side-by-side showdown. If you were just pointing out that prices have jumped... yes, they have and, again, I think it's deserved, but prices have jumped for a lot of books over the last few years.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Batman #227 is wildly, vastly overrated and overvalued. It's a neato Adams homage cover. That's it.

I've never understood why there was even a debate about its significance when measured up against the first appearance of Ra's Al Ghul, or the first Bronze Age psychopathic Joker comic, with its many pages of absolutely brilliant, original, non-homaged Adams art and a nice cover too.

Edited by Ken Aldred
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Randall Ries said:

Detective 395 is where it starts for me. Leaving all that silly TV stuff behind and picking up where Bill Finger left off. Finally. here are some pictures of my own small collection of Adams Bronzies:

bat227.JPG

Bat232 9.6.jpg

Bat232-2.jpg

 

Detective 395.JPG

Detective 400.JPG

Detective 402.jpg

Great books!

402 is the best Adams cover in the Tec run. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like a copy of Batman 251 in 9.4 one day.  Before purchasing my #232, I did notice #251 was climbing more rapid, according to GPA.  Anyhow, at least I have this nice, well centered copy.  White pages, too.

 batman%20232%20004.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/21/2018 at 8:14 AM, paul747 said:

Should not even be in the same conversation. 1st appearances and classic covers are apples and oranges.

I like this point and completely agree.  227 is not a key from a perspective of growing the character or the character's universe, but it doesn't have to be in order to qualify as a major Bat book that should still command a premium.  It's in the same class and category as the original 'Tec 31 and even Tomahawk 116 if you want a non-Bats example from the BA.  It's a really cool cover that a lot of people want and one that gets a lot of media attention (i.e. books, magazines, documentaries, etc..) because it's good [quick] visual representation of Bats transitioning from campy '60s fair to it's darker origins.  I'd lump Wonder Woman 199 and 200 into the same class as well. 

Edited by Brian48
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, valiantman said:

Does anyone (besides me) think that Batman #251 would have been a better cover if it had a Joker playing card instead of the Ace of Spades?

I think it would have been a better cover if Adams did not disjoint Joker's hips.  I still can't get over that anatomy mistake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
1 1